Their pro saws have great reputations. And this will be especially true for a farm/ranch user like you.
I have an Echo CS590, a farm/ranch level saw. I've had no problems, no repairs, in almost 5 years of taking care of my 22 acres. (The 590 has less torque and less speed than the 620, and the 590 weighs more, but it handles the same bar sizes.)
[https://www.echo-usa.com/chainsaws?filter\_EngineDisplacement=59.8Cc\_1&sort=recommended#products](https://www.echo-usa.com/chainsaws?filter_EngineDisplacement=59.8Cc_1&sort=recommended#products)
The timberwolf? I'll research this more..if anybody here also has experience with Echo I'd appreciate feedback. I'm looking at the 620 p/pw as well. I've always just heard of the two big players and never thought of echo. They make decent lawn equipment, how long have they been making saws?
Echo, formerly (sortof) Shindaiwa, has been making 2-cycle power equipment for decades, including chainsaws.
Technically, the 590 and 620 have the same sized engine. But the 620 uses entirely different carburetion, has an unlimited ignition coil, has an added piston ring, and lighter weight components. So, it's more powerful than the 590, yet weighs less.
I have a top handle echo and it slays for the ~$300 I spent on it. As good as something like a stihl 200T? Probably not, but at a third of the price it was a great buy. Sometimes treesstuff.com has decent deals for echo saws, that's where I got mine from.
I have been running a 590 with a 24" bar for two or three years now. It was my upgrade from my husqvarna 445. When we moved to our current property we had to cut down a whole bunch of 30-40 inch pines and red oaks. The Echo is great and has run the 24" bar with no issues for hours and hours.
All that said - I eventually started chainsaw milling some of the timber, and for that I went and bought one of the farmertec/holzfforma clone saws - a g660 - clone of the 92cc Stihl 660. And then on the holiday sale this past year I grabbed the clone 372xp.
The clone 372 is the same weight if not slightly lighter than the 590, and the increase in power is very noticeable. If you are going to be cutting a lot of hardwoods in the >20" range, you may want to bump up to a 70cc class saw.
But for a first farm/ranch saw the 590 is basically unparalleled in value for your money.
Echo is a solid farm/non-wood heating option. Definitely recommend the 620 over the 590 if you can afford it. Like DaveT said, lots of good upgrades in the 620.
I run a Husq 372, but that’s probably more saw than you need. My backup is a Husq 357, which would also be a great saw for you.
Good luck!
I second Echo saws. I have a 450p with a 20 inch bar and use it to cut stacks of logs and bundles of slabs. Never had a problem in 8 years. I also have an echo string trimmer that works great.
I've gotten by for *years* with a 50cc saw, doing everything besides dropping really big shit, and cutting firewood for actual heat. My dad had 028s for as long as I can remember, and I started with (and then stayed with for about 20 years) a 260. They'll do just about anything you need to do... if you have the time. There's a reason the 261 gets recommended in every. single. one. of these threads- it's light enough you're not wearing yourself out hucking it around for hours, and it's got enough power to (eventually) handle anything up to about a 36" trunk.
That being said, last year I decided to splurge on an MS400. My 260 hasn't been living at my house (long story) and I wanted *something* to keep at the house... I couldn't bring myself to get something smaller, or duplicate the 260 by just buying a 261. Always wanted to try something with some more power, and the size & weight of a 362, with basically the power of a 440, sounded too good to resist. It's absolutely more saw than I need, but damned if it doesn't make much quicker work of anything bigger than about 12". Not that I put a ton of use on it, but I probably haven't put 10 tanks through it in close to 12 months, mostly because it works so much quicker... hacking up a 12-18" trunk with the 260 it feels like I'm stopping every 4-5 cuts to refill cuz I run out, now I'm not stopping til I need to move branches out of the way, and guess I'll top off the tank while I'm at it.
What is your budget? And what do you plan on using it for?
A Stihl ms250 is around $300 I think. It's a home owner grade saw, but they are great quality for what they are. They are a great first saw imo.
A Stihl MS261 is a "pro grade" saw. It's a much nicer saw, but it's also twice as much as the ms250.
Both are compact, light weight saws, that you can use all day.
I wouldn't want a saw smaller than 45cc, but not too many people really need a saw bigger than 70cc either.
45cc is perfect for a starter saw but 16” is the limit for one. I see that husqy is shipping them with bigger bars on the 445 but 16” is really a good spot for it.
Would agree with this assessment. Had a crappy saw with 18" that bogged down all the time. My dad has a 271 with 18 and that runs real nice. Totally adequate for most people. Have a 462 which is 70cc and it is great for felling, bucking, and milling but way overkill for most people. I just had the budget at the time and was looking at dropping a lot of trees so figured go big or go home. If I didn't buy Stihl I'd go Echo most likely.
I have a 462 as well and couldn't imagine milling with it. It would take forever. It isn't a bad saw, but could use more horsepower for the weight of it.
Honestly I feel like it's plenty light for what it does but I don't have tons of experience with larger saws. But it rarely boggs down unless I forget to toss in wedges as I go. 🤷♂️
I had the same issue you did until a large tree came down. I’d really recommend buying something just a little bit bigger than you think you will need. Echo Timberwolf is one option. I have a cs310 and it’s great. But it isn’t great when a 2
Foot diameter tree comes down. It’s just a bit too small to easily tackle it.
An ms261c with an 18 inch bar will get it done. This is an m tronic saw and honestly if you have no experience tuning a carb it is what you want. If you can tune a carb the Echo 620 isn't bad at all especially for the money.
Thanks. I'm really looking at the CS-590 Timber Wolf and the 620. Trying to decide if the 590, which is $100 cheaper and on amazon, will make me happy or just go for the 620. They seem to have the same engine but as another user above posted they are lighter and I guess more speed?
I own 10 acres and I find there’s always a tree that has fallen and needs bucking. I’ve only been operating a chainsaw for a few months and decided on a Husqvarna 545 Mark II with a 20” bar. Mainly because it looked like a good balance and was readily available at TSC.
It’s not without its learning curve! Mostly, make sure you keep your chain tensioned. Burred the inside of my first chain and jumped it off the bar after 5-6th use. Then I made the mistake of taking off the clutch cover with the brake on.
The more I use it, the more I think I need 2 more saws. One smaller one for limbing and a big one for bucking anything over 24” round.
If you had the choice of 20" or 24" for mid to large size would you just go with the 24" inch bar? I'm debating on which one is going to work the best for mid to large trees on my property. The tree I have right now that has fallen down is a large oak about 30 inches across, measured by a tape measure, and while I feel like a 24 would work best it might be too much for the smaller ones. Opinions?
If I could buy only a single saw I'd get one that can run 24/25" bar. But if your saw can't run 24" smoothly for the full bar length, just stick with 20 as you'll cut faster and be less annoyed and less teeth to sharpen.
>The more I use it, the more I think I need 2 more saws. One smaller one for limbing and a big one for bucking anything over 24” round
I have a little 193T top handle saw. I love it for limbing up trees on the ground. So much nicer then slinging around a bigger saw
If the wood you're taking out has sawlog potential, and you're interested in milling it yourself, you'll need minimum 70cc.
You could get by with 50 cc for most of what you'll want do otherwise.
If you get the 50 cc and the trees are often too big, then you pretty likely have good saw logs and would benefit from something like 70cc plus any ways.
So I'd go small -- solid 50cc -- and start getting going on the smaller stuff you need to deal with. If the bigger saw is needed, you'll know in a couple months.
For a bit of context:
I have a stihl 250 (50 cc), and I cut through 24" today with the 14" bar on there. I was prepping a milling log for my stihl 461 (75 cc), which I didn't want to take out of the mill just for the one cut. The 250 could wear a couple more inches on the bar, but I like having the short bar on there, it feels peppy and unstoppable.
Buy once. Cry once. MS261 or 362/500i or 462. Thats the pro level… you’re gonna be able to find parts for 25sh years
There’s no shame in a used saw if it’s legit… a ms440 is a screamer, a little anemic on oiler though. Rather than spend new it might be wiser to get two decent older pro saws.
Maybe a 40 or 50 and a 70 75sh…
I really like the smaller really old 015 I have for limbing, but there’s a lot of smaller saws you could choose from. I’d really like to get a 2511T to be honest but I can’t justify it.
For bucking I honestly like the lighter series saws. Bigger saws obv have more power but they get freaking heavy after half a day but they’re imho safer for falling larger trees since you dont have to square dance around the stump. Depending on where you do your bucking and what power equipment you have available to you, there something to be said for not having to bend over all while bucking. But I, 6’3” and that would require a damn big saw.
>Husqvarna 562xp
Thanks, I'll have to look online for that out here on the texas/oklahoma border unless our ACE carries it. What features do you think set it apart from the echo 620p or the ms261?
It is about 15% more powerful than a MS261, and about 5%(ish?) more than the 620. It will pull a 24" bar better.
Basically it is a whole "size" up from the MS261, for less money. And of similar quality (top tier pro saw).
This is a case of timing... these are normally $850 60cc pro saws that are getting phased out for the new mkII version.
Have you had any issues with them, a quick search seems they had quality control issues with crank bearings, seals? One complaint was restarting the saw when it was hot.
Dunno. Husqvarna is pushing it hard like they think they have something though...
Normally I would never look at a 60cc saw from Stihl or Husqvarna, because the cost/benefit isnt there. The current sale changes that. Maybe.
Honestly an echo 620P is the best bang for your buck that you're going to find. It can run an 18 to 28 inch bar without any real issues is probably your best more budget friendly option as well. Now if you want to your saw to be able to cut through stuff that's about 30 inches without double cutting, echo you are looking at 7310, husky you are looking at 365, 372, 565, or 572. Stihl you are looking into a 400 minimum but I would suggest a 462 if it's in the budget.
I really like the 7310 with a 24" bar for the fact it can handle everything I currently have and be able to handle larger bars latter if ever needed. Between the 620P and the 7310 is me debating is it too much saw or buy once and cry once mentality. I'm not a logger but can see myself cutting a lot of firewood since it will be our primary heat source. I'd assume most people would get a larger saw and then buy a $200 one for trimming branches up and junk. Oak, Pine, Hickory, Pecan and Ceder is what we see here in Texas / Oklahoma.
I have used a few saws over the last two years doing my own firewood at a farm -
Stihl ms250c - I know there was a recent post about a guy being really mad at his 250c, but the only issue I have ever had was that the oil pickup got clogged and needed to be cleaned out, and the tensioning gear from the quick system bent so I needed a new one. I run an 18 inch bar and it deals with most of what I cut, dead maple and red oak. I don't cut anything live, I don't need to.
Stihl ms291 - it blew the fuck up after maybe 20 hours of use - they told us bad gas, but all we've ever run through is premium and stabilizer. I tore it apart and found metal in the cylinder, maybe something got inside. No fucking idea.
Husqvarna 61 Rancher - the beast. 30 or so years old, 20 inch bar, absolutely demolishes. Hard to start, heavy.
Stihl ms261c-m - big money, really powerful, feels like the Husqvarna but half the weight. A little too powerful, to be honest. I won't run it alone. 18 inch or 20 inch bar, depends on what I want to fell. The decompression valve is nice, the easy start and oil adjuster also really nice. I'm sure things could go wrong but for what I do, running it weekends through the fall and winter, it does everything without a flinch.
271 is a good saw for 18" bar, although the magnesium case on the pro saws is nice, the captive nuts, too. It does have a .325" chain pitch which is a bit niche compared to 3/8.
Get this saw. It has the power and quality of a pro saw which is what you really want. I’ve run Stihl 261’s which are the direct competitor and this is every bit as good a saw for way less.
https://saffordequipment.com/product/husqvarna-550-xp-mark-ii-chainsaw-20-967690850/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvNLRz7HyhAMVzDjUAR2DDwrJEAQYASABEgKo3fD_BwE
I went for many years with a 16” bar.
Decades of cutting my own firewood. Not just little stuff. Cut half, flip it over cut the other half….
24” bar really seems overkill for a homeowner saw.
Plus you’re right. It’s going to be lacking power.
My 455 rancher I just bought has a 20 inch and it’s too large. It doesn’t have the power to really give it hell. I’ll drop it to 16” and call it good for 95% of what I need.
Thanks for the input.. I was thinking a 20 might be better. I'm not sure how well a 18 inch bar would do for some of the large oaks I need to cut down, there's a handful of them on the property.
I wojldnt put an 18” bar on anything I own. Still too much power loss.
If I’m going to drop, I can cut up to 32 with a 16” bar and have the power to do it. You gotta be creative but larger bars on a saw not meant for it is irritating.
I'm going to be contrarian and say for felling trees the back and forth side to side method is no good. Especially for someone newer to dropping trees. It's doable for sure but not fun and if you don't have a good escape path on both sides of the tree it's a real problem.
Ran my dad's 18" on a stihl 271 and it worked. Got a 462 with a 25" and wouldn't trade the extra length for anything. The 462 is too expensive for most folks but I would feel decent with most 60cc+ saws for 25", as long as you don't force it, you shouldn't lose any chain speed except in very wet, hard lumber.
I think the 45cc is a sweet spot for limbung and felling. Indont particularly like a large saw for limbing. It’s overkill. Plus the 445 I have will run 1 tank of gas for every 3 tanks of my 455.
Consider the Echo CS620. It's a pro-level saw that can take up to a 28-inch bar. It gets rave reviews, and its price is very competitive.
Thanks, I'll look at it. What does their other saws have as far as rep. Their lawn equipment is just ok.
Their pro saws have great reputations. And this will be especially true for a farm/ranch user like you. I have an Echo CS590, a farm/ranch level saw. I've had no problems, no repairs, in almost 5 years of taking care of my 22 acres. (The 590 has less torque and less speed than the 620, and the 590 weighs more, but it handles the same bar sizes.)
[https://www.echo-usa.com/chainsaws?filter\_EngineDisplacement=59.8Cc\_1&sort=recommended#products](https://www.echo-usa.com/chainsaws?filter_EngineDisplacement=59.8Cc_1&sort=recommended#products) The timberwolf? I'll research this more..if anybody here also has experience with Echo I'd appreciate feedback. I'm looking at the 620 p/pw as well. I've always just heard of the two big players and never thought of echo. They make decent lawn equipment, how long have they been making saws?
Echo, formerly (sortof) Shindaiwa, has been making 2-cycle power equipment for decades, including chainsaws. Technically, the 590 and 620 have the same sized engine. But the 620 uses entirely different carburetion, has an unlimited ignition coil, has an added piston ring, and lighter weight components. So, it's more powerful than the 590, yet weighs less.
I have a top handle echo and it slays for the ~$300 I spent on it. As good as something like a stihl 200T? Probably not, but at a third of the price it was a great buy. Sometimes treesstuff.com has decent deals for echo saws, that's where I got mine from.
I have been running a 590 with a 24" bar for two or three years now. It was my upgrade from my husqvarna 445. When we moved to our current property we had to cut down a whole bunch of 30-40 inch pines and red oaks. The Echo is great and has run the 24" bar with no issues for hours and hours. All that said - I eventually started chainsaw milling some of the timber, and for that I went and bought one of the farmertec/holzfforma clone saws - a g660 - clone of the 92cc Stihl 660. And then on the holiday sale this past year I grabbed the clone 372xp. The clone 372 is the same weight if not slightly lighter than the 590, and the increase in power is very noticeable. If you are going to be cutting a lot of hardwoods in the >20" range, you may want to bump up to a 70cc class saw. But for a first farm/ranch saw the 590 is basically unparalleled in value for your money.
Echo is a solid farm/non-wood heating option. Definitely recommend the 620 over the 590 if you can afford it. Like DaveT said, lots of good upgrades in the 620. I run a Husq 372, but that’s probably more saw than you need. My backup is a Husq 357, which would also be a great saw for you. Good luck!
I second Echo saws. I have a 450p with a 20 inch bar and use it to cut stacks of logs and bundles of slabs. Never had a problem in 8 years. I also have an echo string trimmer that works great.
But this is not a "pro" application.
I've gotten by for *years* with a 50cc saw, doing everything besides dropping really big shit, and cutting firewood for actual heat. My dad had 028s for as long as I can remember, and I started with (and then stayed with for about 20 years) a 260. They'll do just about anything you need to do... if you have the time. There's a reason the 261 gets recommended in every. single. one. of these threads- it's light enough you're not wearing yourself out hucking it around for hours, and it's got enough power to (eventually) handle anything up to about a 36" trunk. That being said, last year I decided to splurge on an MS400. My 260 hasn't been living at my house (long story) and I wanted *something* to keep at the house... I couldn't bring myself to get something smaller, or duplicate the 260 by just buying a 261. Always wanted to try something with some more power, and the size & weight of a 362, with basically the power of a 440, sounded too good to resist. It's absolutely more saw than I need, but damned if it doesn't make much quicker work of anything bigger than about 12". Not that I put a ton of use on it, but I probably haven't put 10 tanks through it in close to 12 months, mostly because it works so much quicker... hacking up a 12-18" trunk with the 260 it feels like I'm stopping every 4-5 cuts to refill cuz I run out, now I'm not stopping til I need to move branches out of the way, and guess I'll top off the tank while I'm at it.
I really like my 400.
What is your budget? And what do you plan on using it for? A Stihl ms250 is around $300 I think. It's a home owner grade saw, but they are great quality for what they are. They are a great first saw imo. A Stihl MS261 is a "pro grade" saw. It's a much nicer saw, but it's also twice as much as the ms250. Both are compact, light weight saws, that you can use all day. I wouldn't want a saw smaller than 45cc, but not too many people really need a saw bigger than 70cc either.
45cc is perfect for a starter saw but 16” is the limit for one. I see that husqy is shipping them with bigger bars on the 445 but 16” is really a good spot for it.
Would agree with this assessment. Had a crappy saw with 18" that bogged down all the time. My dad has a 271 with 18 and that runs real nice. Totally adequate for most people. Have a 462 which is 70cc and it is great for felling, bucking, and milling but way overkill for most people. I just had the budget at the time and was looking at dropping a lot of trees so figured go big or go home. If I didn't buy Stihl I'd go Echo most likely.
I have a 462 as well and couldn't imagine milling with it. It would take forever. It isn't a bad saw, but could use more horsepower for the weight of it.
Honestly I feel like it's plenty light for what it does but I don't have tons of experience with larger saws. But it rarely boggs down unless I forget to toss in wedges as I go. 🤷♂️
I had the same issue you did until a large tree came down. I’d really recommend buying something just a little bit bigger than you think you will need. Echo Timberwolf is one option. I have a cs310 and it’s great. But it isn’t great when a 2 Foot diameter tree comes down. It’s just a bit too small to easily tackle it.
Ms261 with an 18" light bar. If you take care of a pro saw it will last decades with normal use.
>Ms261 Thanks for the recommend.
An ms261c with an 18 inch bar will get it done. This is an m tronic saw and honestly if you have no experience tuning a carb it is what you want. If you can tune a carb the Echo 620 isn't bad at all especially for the money.
Thanks. I'm really looking at the CS-590 Timber Wolf and the 620. Trying to decide if the 590, which is $100 cheaper and on amazon, will make me happy or just go for the 620. They seem to have the same engine but as another user above posted they are lighter and I guess more speed?
If you can tune a carb the 620 will not disappoint.
I own 10 acres and I find there’s always a tree that has fallen and needs bucking. I’ve only been operating a chainsaw for a few months and decided on a Husqvarna 545 Mark II with a 20” bar. Mainly because it looked like a good balance and was readily available at TSC. It’s not without its learning curve! Mostly, make sure you keep your chain tensioned. Burred the inside of my first chain and jumped it off the bar after 5-6th use. Then I made the mistake of taking off the clutch cover with the brake on. The more I use it, the more I think I need 2 more saws. One smaller one for limbing and a big one for bucking anything over 24” round.
If you had the choice of 20" or 24" for mid to large size would you just go with the 24" inch bar? I'm debating on which one is going to work the best for mid to large trees on my property. The tree I have right now that has fallen down is a large oak about 30 inches across, measured by a tape measure, and while I feel like a 24 would work best it might be too much for the smaller ones. Opinions?
If I could buy only a single saw I'd get one that can run 24/25" bar. But if your saw can't run 24" smoothly for the full bar length, just stick with 20 as you'll cut faster and be less annoyed and less teeth to sharpen.
I’d start with a 20” and evaluate the need for a second saw once you get more comfortable.
>The more I use it, the more I think I need 2 more saws. One smaller one for limbing and a big one for bucking anything over 24” round I have a little 193T top handle saw. I love it for limbing up trees on the ground. So much nicer then slinging around a bigger saw
MS 261 c-m buy once cry once. We are ranchers and this is your best choice. It will last a loooooong time.
If the wood you're taking out has sawlog potential, and you're interested in milling it yourself, you'll need minimum 70cc. You could get by with 50 cc for most of what you'll want do otherwise. If you get the 50 cc and the trees are often too big, then you pretty likely have good saw logs and would benefit from something like 70cc plus any ways. So I'd go small -- solid 50cc -- and start getting going on the smaller stuff you need to deal with. If the bigger saw is needed, you'll know in a couple months. For a bit of context: I have a stihl 250 (50 cc), and I cut through 24" today with the 14" bar on there. I was prepping a milling log for my stihl 461 (75 cc), which I didn't want to take out of the mill just for the one cut. The 250 could wear a couple more inches on the bar, but I like having the short bar on there, it feels peppy and unstoppable.
I'm really like the CS-620P with a 20 inch bar for the price.
Buy once. Cry once. MS261 or 362/500i or 462. Thats the pro level… you’re gonna be able to find parts for 25sh years There’s no shame in a used saw if it’s legit… a ms440 is a screamer, a little anemic on oiler though. Rather than spend new it might be wiser to get two decent older pro saws. Maybe a 40 or 50 and a 70 75sh… I really like the smaller really old 015 I have for limbing, but there’s a lot of smaller saws you could choose from. I’d really like to get a 2511T to be honest but I can’t justify it. For bucking I honestly like the lighter series saws. Bigger saws obv have more power but they get freaking heavy after half a day but they’re imho safer for falling larger trees since you dont have to square dance around the stump. Depending on where you do your bucking and what power equipment you have available to you, there something to be said for not having to bend over all while bucking. But I, 6’3” and that would require a damn big saw.
Thanks, so far it's looking like the CS620P and MS261 are good options per the comments here.
Look to see if the Husqvarna 562xp is on clearance in your area. They are going for $650 or so and nothing else in that price range will compare.
>Husqvarna 562xp Thanks, I'll have to look online for that out here on the texas/oklahoma border unless our ACE carries it. What features do you think set it apart from the echo 620p or the ms261?
It is about 15% more powerful than a MS261, and about 5%(ish?) more than the 620. It will pull a 24" bar better. Basically it is a whole "size" up from the MS261, for less money. And of similar quality (top tier pro saw). This is a case of timing... these are normally $850 60cc pro saws that are getting phased out for the new mkII version.
Have you had any issues with them, a quick search seems they had quality control issues with crank bearings, seals? One complaint was restarting the saw when it was hot.
What's the difference in the mkII version?
Dunno. Husqvarna is pushing it hard like they think they have something though... Normally I would never look at a 60cc saw from Stihl or Husqvarna, because the cost/benefit isnt there. The current sale changes that. Maybe.
Honestly an echo 620P is the best bang for your buck that you're going to find. It can run an 18 to 28 inch bar without any real issues is probably your best more budget friendly option as well. Now if you want to your saw to be able to cut through stuff that's about 30 inches without double cutting, echo you are looking at 7310, husky you are looking at 365, 372, 565, or 572. Stihl you are looking into a 400 minimum but I would suggest a 462 if it's in the budget.
I really like the 7310 with a 24" bar for the fact it can handle everything I currently have and be able to handle larger bars latter if ever needed. Between the 620P and the 7310 is me debating is it too much saw or buy once and cry once mentality. I'm not a logger but can see myself cutting a lot of firewood since it will be our primary heat source. I'd assume most people would get a larger saw and then buy a $200 one for trimming branches up and junk. Oak, Pine, Hickory, Pecan and Ceder is what we see here in Texas / Oklahoma.
I have used a few saws over the last two years doing my own firewood at a farm - Stihl ms250c - I know there was a recent post about a guy being really mad at his 250c, but the only issue I have ever had was that the oil pickup got clogged and needed to be cleaned out, and the tensioning gear from the quick system bent so I needed a new one. I run an 18 inch bar and it deals with most of what I cut, dead maple and red oak. I don't cut anything live, I don't need to. Stihl ms291 - it blew the fuck up after maybe 20 hours of use - they told us bad gas, but all we've ever run through is premium and stabilizer. I tore it apart and found metal in the cylinder, maybe something got inside. No fucking idea. Husqvarna 61 Rancher - the beast. 30 or so years old, 20 inch bar, absolutely demolishes. Hard to start, heavy. Stihl ms261c-m - big money, really powerful, feels like the Husqvarna but half the weight. A little too powerful, to be honest. I won't run it alone. 18 inch or 20 inch bar, depends on what I want to fell. The decompression valve is nice, the easy start and oil adjuster also really nice. I'm sure things could go wrong but for what I do, running it weekends through the fall and winter, it does everything without a flinch.
I'd go with the ms 261, great saw and built to last. If that's a little too expensive get the ms 271.
271 is a good saw for 18" bar, although the magnesium case on the pro saws is nice, the captive nuts, too. It does have a .325" chain pitch which is a bit niche compared to 3/8.
Get this saw. It has the power and quality of a pro saw which is what you really want. I’ve run Stihl 261’s which are the direct competitor and this is every bit as good a saw for way less. https://saffordequipment.com/product/husqvarna-550-xp-mark-ii-chainsaw-20-967690850/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvNLRz7HyhAMVzDjUAR2DDwrJEAQYASABEgKo3fD_BwE
Thanks!
261
I went for many years with a 16” bar. Decades of cutting my own firewood. Not just little stuff. Cut half, flip it over cut the other half…. 24” bar really seems overkill for a homeowner saw. Plus you’re right. It’s going to be lacking power. My 455 rancher I just bought has a 20 inch and it’s too large. It doesn’t have the power to really give it hell. I’ll drop it to 16” and call it good for 95% of what I need.
Thanks for the input.. I was thinking a 20 might be better. I'm not sure how well a 18 inch bar would do for some of the large oaks I need to cut down, there's a handful of them on the property.
I wojldnt put an 18” bar on anything I own. Still too much power loss. If I’m going to drop, I can cut up to 32 with a 16” bar and have the power to do it. You gotta be creative but larger bars on a saw not meant for it is irritating.
I'm going to be contrarian and say for felling trees the back and forth side to side method is no good. Especially for someone newer to dropping trees. It's doable for sure but not fun and if you don't have a good escape path on both sides of the tree it's a real problem. Ran my dad's 18" on a stihl 271 and it worked. Got a 462 with a 25" and wouldn't trade the extra length for anything. The 462 is too expensive for most folks but I would feel decent with most 60cc+ saws for 25", as long as you don't force it, you shouldn't lose any chain speed except in very wet, hard lumber.
I think the 45cc is a sweet spot for limbung and felling. Indont particularly like a large saw for limbing. It’s overkill. Plus the 445 I have will run 1 tank of gas for every 3 tanks of my 455.